Weaving attachment for stitchforming machines



y 1934. P. H. DIXON v 1,957,633

WEAVING ATTACHMENT FOR STITCH FORMING MACHINES Filed April 18, 1952 4 sheets-Sheet l May 8, 1934,

P. H. DIXON WEAVING ATTACHMENT FOR STITCH FORMING MACHINES I i! I Filed April 18 1932 4- Sheets-Sheet 2 I19 /7 arma f y 1934. P. H. DIXON WEAVING ATTACHMENT FOR STITCH FORMING MACHINES Filed April 18, 1952 4. Sheets-Sheet 3 AM /@Hw May 8, 1934. P. H. DIXON WEAVING ATTACHMENT FOR ST ITCH FORMING MACHINES Filed April 18. 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 8, 1934 UNITED STAT VVEAVING ATTACHMENT FOR STETCH- FORMING MACHINES 10 Claims.

This invention relates to a weaving attachment for a stitch-forming machine. In a co-pending application Serial No. 605,824, entitled Stitchforming machines, there is disclosed a stitchforming machine that lays a lock-stitch and also a marginal binding stitch consisting of parallel pairs of separate strands of thread that extend over the margin of the material operated on and are locked in position at their loop ends by the basic or lock stitch.

The present invention relates to an attachment for such a machine, which attachment is adapted to lay threads transversely of the marginal stitches formed by the mechanism disclosed in the co-pending application, so that a series of interlocked strands of thread are provided forming a marginal binding on articles of leather such as shoes, or on fabric or knitted articles of clothing or the like.

Advantages of the detailed construction of the invention will be apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view of the parts of the machine of the co-pending application with which the attachment of the present invention is associated, illustrating the means for operating the attachment from a driven part of said machine.

Fig. 2 is a View at right angles to Fig. 1, presenting parts of the machine of the co-pending application in left side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a view of the cam device for operating the attachment of the present invention.

Fig. i is a view of the same part shown in another adjustment.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the attachment and the associated parts in one of its operative positions.

Fig. 6 is a similar view illustrating the parts in another operative position.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the work illustrating the manner in which the threads are laid.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section through the work illustrating the relationship of the weaver arms to the work.

Fig. 9 is a cross-section through a fabric feeding tube and is taken substantially on the line 99 of Fig. '7.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the construction is shown as incorporated in a stitch-forming machine which is described in detail in the above identified copending application. Since the construction is fully described in the co-pending application, it will only be necessary to briefly refer to the construction of the machine in association with which the present invention is shown.

The stitch-forming machine includes a base plate 1, to which is attached a post comprising a plate 2, side plates 3 and a top plate 4. On one side of the post is the work feeding mechanism comprising a ring wheel 5 that cooperates with a pressure roller 6 to advance the work '7 longitudinally through the machine. The wheel 5 is driven from a shaft 8, gear connections 9, a vertical shaft 10 and gear and pinion connections 11, all of which construction is described in detail in the above identified co-pending application. A shaft 12 which drives through gear connections 13 the stitching hook of the stitch-forming machine is likewise driven from the shaft 8 by a chain and sprocket connection 14 in the manner described in detail in the co-pending application.

The mechanism of the present invention is driven from the common shaft 8 which carries a beveled pinion 15 that meshes with a beveled pinion 16 carried at the end of a shaft 1'7 that extends through the base plate 1 and terminates adjacent to the upper face of the top plate 4 of the post.

By reference to Figs. 7 and 8 it will be understood that, in forming the marginal binding on the articles operated on, the binding is formed preferably by overlaying the margin of the work with a ribbon 18 that is fed from a tube 19. This ribbon forms the base of the woven binding. In order to form an additional reinforcement for the marginal finish and a base for the stitches, a tape 18 may be laid under the lower face of the margin of the work, and secured thereto by cement or other means. The tape 18 may be either applied in advance or laid on the work as the stitching is applied by feeding it to the work through a tube 19 Within the inner edge of the ribbon 18 there is first formed a lock-stitch comprising the needle thread 20 and the bobbin thread 21. This lockstitch forms the basic stitch for the marginal binding. The machine of the co-pending application then lays spaced pairs of strands of thread 22, said strands extending from the basic stitch over the margin of the work and being interlocked at their opposite loop ends by the basic lock stitch.

The attachment of the present invention lays in association with the stitch formation just described a series of interlocked strands 23 that extend transversely of the strands 22.

The device for laying the strands 23 includes a nest of superimposed spaced arms 24, each of said arms having an eye 25 extending therethrough near the outer extremity thereof to receive a separate thread that extends from the arm toward the stitch point of the machine. Each of the arms 24 has a central hub 26 that fits over and is carried by a pin 2'7 supported on the top plate of the post of the machine. An arm 28 extends from each of the hub sections 26 outwardly from the hub section and on the same side of the hub as the arm 24, the arms 28 being arranged on alternate sides of the pivot point of the series of plates, so that the threads carried by alternate ones of the arms 24 will be held on alternate sides of the stitching point.

After the stitch-forming machine of the copending application draws each marginal stitch taut over the edge and locks it around the two threads of the basic lock stitch, the position of the arms 24 is alternated to cause the threads 23 to cross over, thereby weaving them alternately under and over alternate stitches or pairs of strands of the thread 23.

The mechanism for alternating the position of the arms 24 to effect the weaving formation described includes the following construction:

There is a cam 29 the contour of which will be fully understood from Figs. 3 and 4. This cam is mounted on a stud pin 30, said stud pin being carried by the top plate 4 of the post of the machine adjacent to the right-hand side thereof. The cam 29 is in the form of a disc the marginal edges of which are formed to provide the shoulders 31, 32 and 33'. The cam is also provided with a hub portion 34 that extends downwardly from its underface. At the lower end of the hub 34 there is a gear 35. The gear 35 meshes with a pinion 36 that is carried by the end of the shaft 1'? that projects above the top plate 4 of the post. The gear ratio between the gear 35 and the pinion 36 is two-to-one; that is to say, for each revolution of the gear 35 the pinion 36 makes two revolutions.

The cam 29 cooperates with a reciprocating device which includes a bracket support having arms 37 positioned at the front and rear of the machine post and supported preferably by the right-hand plate 3 of the post. At the top of these arms there is a horizontal plate 38, and each of the arms 37 is provided with an extension 39 forming ears between which a rod 40 extends. The rod 40 intermediate the members 39 carries a sliding cam roller bracket 41 having on its underface a pair of rollers 42 positioned, respectively, adjacent to opposite ends of the slide. Each of the rollers 42 is preferably equipped with a washer 43. The cam 29 operates between the rollers 42, said rollers bearing against the edge of said cam and the washers 43 extending under the lower margin of the cam plate. The cam and rollers are thus maintained in cooperative relationship. A bracket comprising a vertical leg 44 and a horizontal leg 45 is connected to the cam slide bracket 41 and a bell crank lever 46 is pivotally connected to the horizontal leg 45 by a hinge screw 47.

The bell crank lever 46 has a long arm 48 and has a slot 49 formed in its extremity. The bell crank lever 46 has a short arm 50 and a slot 51 formed in its extremity. The short arm of the bell crank lever 46 is connected with the top plate 38 by a sliding pivot connection which includes a sliding block 52 operating in the recess 51, said block being connected with the plate 38 by a hinge screw 53. The long arm of the bell crank lever 46 is pivotally connected to a sliding arm having a horizontally extending leg 54 at one end of which is formed a U- shaped leg 55 providing an extension 56 that lies normal to the leg 54 and spaced from the end thereof. The leg 54 is mounted for sliding engagement in a bearing 5'7 that extends obliquely forwardly from the right rear corner of the plate 38. The long arm of the bell crank lever 46 connects with the leg 54 by a sliding pivot connection that includes a sliding block 58 mounted in the recess 49. A hinge screw 59 extends through an opening in the block 58 and has a fixed threaded engagement with the leg 54.

The extension 56 carries a bracket 60, said bracket 60 being adjustably connected on said extension 56 by a set collar 61. The bracket 60 supports a pair of vertical spaced pins 62, which are pivoted therein. Each of the pins 62 carries adjacent its opposite ends a link 63. The links 63 are fixed to said pins 62. The opposite ends of said links 63 connect in vertical pairs, respectively, with pins 64, the said pins 64 having pivot connection, respectively, with the arms 28 of the alternate spaced arms 24.

It will be understood from the above description of the construction of the machine that it performs its function substantially as follows:

The threads 23 are fed through the eyes 25 in the arms 24 from separate spools and through tensioning devices of known and ordinary construction. It will be noted that the several threads 23 are held by the arms 24 in spaced groups so that the threads of each group alternate transversely of the margin of the work, and that a sufficient space is provided between the groups when the weaving mechanism is idle for the proper functioning of the looper device, as fully described in the said co-pending application. It will also be noted that the groups of threads are held out of the path of the basic stitch mechanism, so that the machine as disclosed in said co-pending application, when the weaving attachment of the present invention is idle, may form the basic lock stitch and lay the stitches over the margin of the work without interference by the weaving attachment. The weaving attachment is synchronized in its operation with the stitch formation by the mechanism of the machine of the co-pending application. This time adjustment is provided by rotating the cam 29 once for each two cycles of the stitch-forming mechanism; that is to say, the weaving mechanism operates a single cycle for each double cycle of the stitching mechanism. A single cycle of the weaving mechanism effect-s six alternations of the positions of the arms 24.

It will be remembered that for each cycle of the stitching mechanism one complete basic stitch is formed and three stitches or six strands are cast over the side of the work and are locked in position. Therefore, the weaving mechanism alternates the arms 24 three times for each complete stitch of the stitch-forming machine. Thus, the arms 24 will start from alternate positions after the completion of each basic stitch.

The alternation of the position of the arms 24 results from the movement of the cam slide bracket which is actuated by the cam 29. The movement of the cam slide bracket is translated into a reciprocatory movement of the leg 54 and thereby the extension 56 which, in turn, moves the arms 24 through the link and arm connection therewith.

I am aware that the form of the mechanism may be varied within equivalent limits, and I do not restrict myself, therefore, to the exact construction shown and described, but What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. A weaving attachment for stitch-forming machines that lays successively stitches around the margin of the work and extends substantially at right angles to the margin of the work, which comprises spaced series of pivoted arms, the arms of each series lying on opposite sides of a pivot point and being provided with eyes for feeding thread, and an actuator operable in timed relation with the stitching mechanism of the stitchforming machine to alternate the position of said arms in synchronism with the formation of the stitches lying at right angles to the margin of the work.

2. The combination with a stitch-forming machine adapted to successively lay stitches over the margin of flat work, of an attachment therefor comprising a support positioned laterally of the work, a series of lever arms alternately positioned in sequence on opposite sides of the axis of said support, said arms being provided with thread-feeding eyes, an actuator for moving said lever arms in opposite directions, a cam for controlling the movement of said actuator in synchronism with the stitch-forming operation of the machine, and driving mechanism for said cam.

3. The combination with a stitch-forming machine adapted to successively lay stitches over the margin of flat work, of an attachment therefor comprising a vertical support positioned laterally of the work and extending above and below the plane of the work, a series of lever arms pivoted on said support, said arms being alternately positioned on opposite sides of the axis of the support and being provided with thread-feeding eyes, a pitman operatively connected to said arms, a crank arm for operating said pitman, a cam for controlling the movement of said crank arm, and means for driving the cam in synchronism with the stitch-forming machine, whereby a plurality of threads are alternately woven over and under the stitches laid over the margin of the work by said stitch-forming machine.

4. The combination with a stitch-forming machine adapted to successively lay stitches over the margin of the work and extending substantially at right angles thereto, of an attachment comprising a vertical support extending across the plane of the work, a series of hell crank lever arms pivoted on said support and having the alternate ones thereof lying on opposite sides of the pivot point, said arms being provided with eyes at the extremities adjacent to the work for feeding separate strands of thread, an actuator for moving said arms including a pitman, links connecting the pitman with said arms, respectively, and means for operating said pitman in synchronism with the stitch-forming mechanism to alternate the position of the arms following the formation of each successive stitch over the margin of the work by the stitch-forming mechanism of the machine.

6. The combination with a stitch-forming machine having a flat work support and means for forming and securing parallel stitches over and enclose the margin of the work, of an attachment having a series of thread-feeding means for laying alternate threads over and under each stitch over the margin of the work, and synchronized mechanism for operating said means.

7. The combination with a stitch-forming machine having a fiat work support and means for forming and securing parallel stitches over and enclose the margin of the work, of an attachment having a series of thread-feeding means for laying alternate threads over and under each stitch over the margin of the Work, and synchronized mechanism including a timing cam operatively connected with said means.

8. The combination with a stitch-forming machine having a flat Work support and means for forming and securing parallel stitches over and enclose the margin of the work, of an attachment having a series of thread-feeding means for laying alternate threads over and under each stitch over the margin of the work, synchronized mechanism including a timing cam operatively connected with said means, and driving connections between said cam and the power shaft of the machine.

9. An attachment for stitch-forming machines including a vertical support, two groups of spaced thread-feeding arms mounted on said support, links operatively connected with said arms, a reciprocating member connected with said links and adapted to be moved toward and away from the support and thereby move said groups of arms in intersecting paths, and means for operating said reciprocating member in timed relation with the mechanism of the stitch-forming machine.

10. The combination with a stitch-forming machine adapted to successively lay stitches over and enclose the margin of the work, said successive stitches extending parallel to each other and at right angles to the margin of the work, of an attachment comprising a series of threadforming arms, an actuator for said arms, and means for controlling the movement of said actuator and thereby said arms to lay spaced strands of thread transverse to said marginal stitches and woven alternately over and under said stitches.

PAUL H. DIXON. 

